SPOV

I smile and hold my hand out the window feeling the sun on my skin as I drive down the highway back to Bon Temps. Eric is sleeping now, he ended up staying awake all day yesterday and all night again, so altogether he stayed awake for about 38 hours without becoming worn down, two nights and one full day. By the time I was getting ready for sleep in the early hours this morning, Eric started to get the bleeds so he decided to go to rest as well, his void settled down just moments after closing his eyes. He told me he felt no pull of the sun and he wasn't tired, at least he wasn't what he remembered being tired felt like but then again, the last time he felt tired was over a thousand years ago when his heart still beat. Either way, he didn't want to push it in case the lack of rest started to affect his strength and speed.

Now I'm on my way to Merlotte's and then to the house to pick up a few things. My shadows are with me, or at least they're following behind me in their car and I have my shields down in case anyone starts to follow me again. Since I told Eric about those other Weres I heard during my lunch with Alcide, what used to be two guards is now four. I think it's overkill but I've decided not to make a stink about things Eric does for my safety anymore. It's not as if anyone knows where we're staying right now, so I know no one is following me yet. Though I do admit, stopping somewhere like my house and my job would probably be the places they'd be looking for me, so I do feel safer having people watch my back.

I'm going to Merlotte's because I need to talk to Sam, I've given him enough time to figure out a way to buy me out of the bar, and if I'm getting ready to leave and never come back, I'd rather get all the money I can beforehand. I get that Eric has all the money in the world but I don't like feeling like a mooch or kept woman, so I'd feel better to have this little cushion if possible. Also, I'm going to the house because the council meeting is getting closer by the day and if all goes how I think it will, we'll be leaving almost immediately after and there are a few trinkets, memories, and family heirlooms I can't stand the thought of never seeing again. And knowing Jason, if I left it all to him to handle, it'd all go down the stinker, he can barely take care of himself and his household, let alone another one. That isn't really fair I chide myself, I'm still thinking like he's the Jason from my other dimension, from my memories he's grown a lot since he was that person.

I add visiting him and my niece and nephew to my mental to-do list for the day. I'm actually going to make seeing them a priority until we leave, I love my brother, he's the only family I've got left, well, other than Niall, and Eric I guess to since we're married again, at least in the fairy way. But Jason has been my family since I was first born, he hasn't always been the best brother, far from it, in fact, but I love him a lot and I know I'll miss him like crazy when I leave.

I focus back on the present when I pull into the bar's parking lot, I park in my normal spot in the back before changing my mind and moving into the front. It feels wrong to park in the back, I know I'm part owner of this place but the last time I was here didn't end in the best of circumstances and I haven't been here in weeks. So I turn off the car, it's Eric's new BMW, and lock it before walking in the front door with all the confidence I can muster.

Of course, all eyes are on me as soon as I walk through the door, I wave at Andy Bellefleur, even though I'm definitely not one of his favorite people, and see Hoyt sitting at the bar, he is the first truly friendly smile I receive. "Well if it isn't Sookie Stackhouse, you know your brother's real worried about you, right?"

"Hey Hoyt," I say with a friendly smile as I walk up to the bar and stand next to him, "He is? Why hasn't he just called me?"

As soon as the words leave my mouth I realize the problem, ever since the mishap when I accidentally used the unsecured line to call Russell, I've only used the phone Pam gave me so that I knew I could talk freely. It wasn't as if Jason had that number, "Oh shoot, never mind. I forgot to give him my new number. Thanks for letting me know Hoyt, I'll go see him right after this."

"Alright, how are you doing anyway? I haven't seen you working lately, taking a little vacation?"

"Something like that. Actually, speaking of vacations, I better go talk to Sam, is he in the back?"

"Yup, just went back there a few minutes ago."

"Thanks," I say with one more smile, I really like Hoyt, unlike most of the people in this small town, he doesn't really judge me for my quirk and doesn't think badly of anyone really, he's just a genuinely nice person.

Speaking of nice people, my smile brightens even more when Terry is in the back cooking and whistling to himself. In this world he's much the same as he was in my old one, probably the kindest person to me in the town, doesn't judge me at all. After all, if anyone understands your head doing something you have no control over, it'd be the veteran who has PTSD. I try not to listen to him too often because there's been times in the past that I've seen and heard things I wish I hadn't. I'm surprised that as soon as he notices me, he puts his spatula down and quickly walks over to envelop me in a hug.

Call me too nosey for my own good but I can't help but to listen into his brain to see what's going on. My eyes widen as I hug him back, apparently, Jason wasn't the only one who's been worried about me, turns out Sam didn't tell anyone about our fight and the fact that I told him I was going to be away for a while. So the few people around here that actually do care about me have been filled with worry and questions, especially when I didn't answer my phone and my house looked to be abandoned.

"Sorry Terry, I didn't mean to worry you or anyone else, I let Sam know that I'd be outta town for a while, I guess he forgot to pass on the message, I'm perfectly fine though!"

"That's good to hear, Sookie, we've already lost way too many good people around these parts over the last few years, I couldn't bear losing anyone else." He says as he pulls away, I really am surprised, I knew he liked me but I didn't know he actually cared about me this much.

"Well, I plan to be on this earth a good long while, though I am moving soon."

"Really? Where?"

"Not sure yet, I just know it's time for a change. Like you said, there's too much bad stuff that's happened around here, too many bad memories, I just need something new."

"Well, good for you. Don't be like me, living in your memories, you're too good a girl for that."

"You're too good a guy too Terry. Remember," I say pointing to my head, "I know what everyone truly is like, not just what they show the world and I can honestly say, you're one of the best people I know." He looks at me with disbelief clear in his eyes so I continue, "We all have our demons but what happened to you while you were away and how it affects you isn't your fault. I know you don't mean anyone any harm."

He smiles at me before nodding. We make small talk for about another five minutes before I decide I can't push off this meeting, more likely confrontation, any longer. So without second guessing myself I lean in for another hug before waving and walking back to the office. It isn't until I'm walking by myself that I realize I was touching Terry and had to make the decision to listen to his head. Normally, I can't help it, if there's any physical contact with a human I hear their thoughts no matter how hard I try to keep them out. I think this might be another benefit of drinking the fairy Kool-Aid. I just haven't noticed until now because I've been spending all my time with vampires and a few Weres.

I make sure that my shields are completely down, I still have people after me, after all. I don't ever want to be the helpless lady Eric risks his life to save again. Two of my guards are inside at a table while one is watching the front entrance and one the back. So far so good, I know there are people still after me but I think I lucked out today and they don't know I'm here. I won't stay here too long, just to do what I came here to do because I don't want to push my luck.

The door to the office is closed over, I can just barely see Sam at the desk looking over some paperwork or another. After thinking over my options for a moment, I knock twice to let him know someone is here before walking in. He looks up and his eyes widen when he sees it's me. He stands up and walks around the desk and pulls me into his arms. The action surprises me, I mean we didn't leave things on the best of terms the last time I was here. In fact, it was a screaming match before I demanded he buy me out and storming off.

"Sookie, you're here, finally. I'm so glad to see you, are you okay, where have you been?" He speaks in one long breath, before inhaling after to catch his breath. I see the moment he smells Eric on me, there's a flash of anger in his eyes before he lets go of me like I'm hot coal and takes a step back. "Oh Sookie, what did you do? Have you just been in Oklahoma this whole time? Living as his whore? His concubine while he spends most of his time with his wife?"

I feel fire through my veins at his words, I want to give him a good telling off, and maybe even test my strengthened light on him but I manage to stop myself. I take a deep breath to calm myself before replying. "Sam, I've told you already, I'm Eric's wife."

"No, you were his wife in the vampire's eyes but you ended that, he moved on and remarried."

"Under duress. That doesn't matter anyway, that marriage was illegal. They might have made us divorce in the vampire way but they couldn't make us do it in all ways. He was still married to me when they forced him to marry Freyda and since you can't be married to two people at once, that one was never real."

"What? When did you guys leave the state to get married?"

"Never, I'm talking about being married the fairy way, not human marriage."

He runs his hand through his hair and starts to pace back and forth across the office, "God, Sookie, I thought after you had time to get your head straight you'd realize you were making a big mistake, I should have known better. Once you get something in that stubborn head of yours, you don't give up on it, no matter how idiotic it is."

"Sam, I love Eric, I always have, and I'm exactly where I want to be. I'm sorry if that upsets you but it's the truth and I won't let you talk smack about me, my marriage, or my husband. I get it, you don't like that I chose to fight for him but I did and that's that."

"Well if you're so confident with your decision then what are you doing here?" 'She knows she's making a big mistake, that's why she's here, she wants me to smack some sense into her.'

"Did you forget? I'm still part owner of this bar. I came here to finalize you buying me out of my portion. I'm leaving town, possibly forever, I want a new start and that money will help me get it done."

"What? I never said I was buying you out."

"Uh yeah you did, or at least I told you that you have to."

"No, last we talked you told me to decide if I was willing to work with you after the breakup and if I wasn't then we'd go about figuring out how to buy you out. I thought you were going to come back to work."

"Well, that's not an option anymore. Like I said, I'm moving."

"What do you mean you're moving? Everyone has seen the construction going on at your place. Why are you fixing it up if you're leaving? And if you need the money so bad, how are you able to afford all the work that's getting done? Those construction workers come here for lunch every day and they're mighty talkative about all the work they're doing over there. Plus, I thought you were married now, everyone who knows Eric Northman knows he's well off, why do you need this lousy money when you have his? It's nothing compared to what he has."

"First of all, you know damn well I'm not the type of lady to live off of someone else, second of all, it's the principle of it, it's my first time owning a business, it's partly mine, so I want it back. And thirdly, you've been a really big jerk since this all started so I'm not really in the mood to be doing you any favors Sam Merlotte."

He looks surprised, and I can hear from his head that he doesn't know what to say, I can also hear that as of right now he has no intention of buying me out, anything he can do to keep me here longer. Plus he thinks that since I want to be bought out, it proves that he was right about Eric, he's decided that Eric must not be willing to help me with money and that he's treating me as terribly as Sam has always said he would. Ugh, I'm so over this, so over him. I don't care anymore.

"Well, I'm sorry Sookie but I just don't have the resources to buy you out right now, you're just going to have to give me some time to get it together."

I decide to be strong and confident when I say, "You have a week, if not we'll have to get lawyers involved." I start to leave but stop in the doorway and look over my shoulder, "I wish it didn't have to be like this, Sam. I thought you were one of my very best friends for a long time but it turns out you're not half as good a friend as you like to think you are."

I don't wait to hear a reply, I simply leave. I'll call him in a few days to see what he says. I'm serious when I say I'll get lawyers involved if need be, I just rather not but I won't let him stonewall me into being forced to stay here, and I most certainly won't let him keep my part of the bar for free.

I say goodbye to the few people who smile at me or stop me as I'm walking to the door and I nod at my guards as they get up to follow me out. Normally when Eric has given me guards in the past I take the time to get to know them, and I want to this time too but they've been keeping their distance from me. I decide I'll have to make a better effort to talk to and get to know them.

I get in the car and start heading to my house, I don't even have to think while I'm driving, it's muscle memory at this point, I've driven this trip so many times. My eyes widen as I pull up to the house, wow I know Sam said there was work being done but I didn't expect this much, there are like twenty people here, and they're all working very hard, it seems. Why is Eric still doing this if we're planning on leaving? Maybe he started the work before and just didn't bother stopping it? I don't know, I'll have to ask them. I listen in to each brain before I decide it's safe to get out of the car. It doesn't take long at the house, most of the things that are important to me are all hidden in the same place in my closet, I grab all my important documentation like my birth certificate and social security card, and a few of my favorite outfits I don't want to lose before putting it all in the car and leaving. I'm only in the house for about a half hour and as I'm pulling out of the driveway I'm surprised at how easy it is for me to leave the house, possibly forever. It's emotional, sure, and I'm sad that this won't be my home anymore but nowhere near as badly as I thought I'd be feeling.

Unfortunately, when I make it to Jason's, no one is home. I leave a quickly written note to him explaining I'm okay and leave him with my new number before making my way back to Shreveport. I'm about halfway home when the part of me that now resides in Eric comes to life, making me know he's awake. I hit the gas a little harder because I miss him.

It doesn't surprise me when I open the door and he's right there to check me over and make sure I'm okay. I want to roll my eyes at the over-protectiveness but I stop myself, I've stopped being annoyed when I find out he's worried for and about me, it is just his way of showing me he cares. So I stay there for a few seconds, letting him look me over before walking over to him and giving him a huge hug, sinking into him when his arms wrap around me. I can't help but notice he's being very careful about the sun and its rays touching his skin, there's only about two hours before the sun sets and his fellow vampires rise. I really hope he gets the sun immunity that the other Eric has.

"Did your day go as planned, lover?"

"Not really, Sam is taking his good old time figuring out how to pay me back and Jason wasn't home when I went for a visit. I got everything that I needed from the house though." I say, trying to end my words on a good note.

"Fear not, we'll get what's rightfully yours one way or another."

"That's pretty much what I told him."

"Hmm," He acknowledges, I see something shift behind his eyes, it's the look that he gets when he goes from sheriff and protector to lover, "Well, we have some time before we must leave for Fangtasia and I can think of a few good ideas on how we should spend it." He leans in and starts kissing my neck, migrating lower and lower.

"Me too!" I say while pulling back, "I think it's about time to see how immune to the sun you really are, don't you?"

It surprises me when he looks unsure, even a little frightened. After a few seconds, it's as if he pushes the worry away and becomes the Eric I've known so well. "Yes, I think that's a great idea,"

Though he's showing a strong front I think I know what's throwing him off, "Everything else from the other dimension's bond has worked like they said it will, there's no reason to think this will be any different."

He takes a completely unnecessary breath before taking a step into the light, it's my instinctual reaction to try to cover him but as I'm reaching over to him I have enough time to realize he's not burning. My breath catches at the sight, Eric Northman, my Eric, in the sun, looking at me as if I'm insane to think that anything might be wrong. He only keeps eye contact with me for a a second before turning his attention back to the sun, he looks at it mesmerized before letting out an unbelieving laugh, flicking his eyes from the sun to his healthy skin and back again. Before I know what's happening, I feel his arms wrapped around me then a rush of air I've come to associate with moving at vamp speed. I blink twice before I realize we're outside. Eric is laughing and holding me up while spinning us in circles. I'm about to chastise his rashness but before I have a chase his lips are on mine and he's kissing me hungrily.

It isn't surprising when my clothes are the next thing to go, or when I'm on the grass enthusiastically spreading my legs for him, or moaning while he's fucking me, whispering dirty nothings in my ear, only partly in English. By the time we're done, I'm lying on the grass panting as hard as I can while he groans pulling himself out of me and flopping on the grass next to me. It takes no thought to cuddle up to him, resting my head on his chest and relaxing when his arm wraps around me.

We lay in silence just enjoying the moment for a while, "I didn't think there were any more firsts for me to have."

His words surprise me so I use my arms to lift me up off his chest so that I can look at him, "what do you mean?"

"Though I was far from a virgin while human, I've never made love in the sun on the grass before."

"You haven't? There's no way Mr Eric sexaholic Northman didn't sleep with anyone during daylight hours before."

He chuckles and leans in, kissing my forehead, "Well I didn't say that, did I? No, I just mean I've never slept with someone I've cared about while out on the grass in broad daylight,"

"Oh," well, that's a little more believable. I lay my head back onto his chest and just relax. We're well into watching the sunset before he makes a move by placing both his hands on my shoulders and lifting me up, "We must get ready, Pam is expecting us at Fangtasia soon."

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I sigh before complying and standing up, I barely take my first step before Eric has me in his arms again and back in our room thanks to vamp speed. We get ready in semi-silence. Not an uncomfortable silence, quite the opposite really. And he rests highs hand on my inner thigh during the ride to the bar. It isn't until we turn onto the street that my anxiety starts and I become uncomfortable. His hand on my thigh grips harder drawing my attention.

"All is well, lover, we don't have to stay there for long if you are uncomfortable. We just need to speak to Pam then we can be on our way."

I know he's right, I also know I have nothing to worry about, other than being at our home just the two of us, this is one of the safest places to be, every vampire that walks in here is loyal to Eric, I'm just letting my worries get away from me. So as he's parking I give him the brightest most honest smile I can and nod. Unfortunately, he can feel my emotions so he knows I've not made my anxiety lessen at all. Still though, once the keys are out of the ignition he vamps around the car and opens the door for me.

The uproar doesn't surprise me when we walk into the bar, every patron has probably been waiting for him to return since the day he last showed his face, and the vampires are probably just as happy. The people pawing at him are a different story though. The human part of me understands that they mean nothing to him, that he doesn't care about him one way or another. But the fairy part of me wants to attack in order to protect what's mine.

Thankfully, I'm able to control myself, and it becomes infinitely easier when Eric turns his head back to look and smirk at me before wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into his side. Pam is sitting up on the throne though I can see she's gotten a new one, it's hot pink and even more gaudy than I'd expect Pam's throne to be. She's noticed we're here, of course, it's only a few moments after making eye contact with Eric that she stands and starts to make her way towards the back where the office is and we follow her lead, noticing that other vampires from around the bar, some I recognize and some I don't, also follow.

It shouldn't be surprising to me that this looks like a completely different space too but it does, it makes me feel a little sad and even nostalgic. It's not as if I ever particularly cared about this place or even liked it but I have a lot of memories here, especially in this back room with Eric. Although he doesn't seem upset about it any longer being his, I know this place meant a lot to him for a while, it was the first business he was able to buy out in the open as the vampire he is, and not under some pseudonym of his human alter ego.

Though it's clearly Pam's office now Eric walks over to the chair behind the desk and sits while Pam moves onto the side of the desk and rests her hip on it. The vampires all find spots around the room waiting for Eric to speak. I'm not really sure where I should go so I stand in the back by the door and wait but Eric holds his arm out in offer so I walk over and let him pull me onto his lap, he places his hand on my thigh, fingers spread apart wide in a possessive handle, though it's not my favorite part of being with a vampire, I've long since accepted the necessity. God forbid Eric shows the smallest bit of emotion towards me when other vampires are around.

I chastise myself a second after having that thought, it's just plain not true. Even now some of the vampires in the room are looking at me and Eric with looks of confusion and even disgust. I have a feeling someone in the next few minutes will make some kind of comment like 'Eric, isn't it time to send your pet out of the room?' Or 'Eric Northman has taken a pet for himself, I never thought I'd see the day.' If Eric really didn't show me or the other vampires that he cared, I'd be out at the bar with the rest of the humans who came with these vampires.

Eric leaned forward in his chair, making me move too. He smiled at the vampire sitting opposite us, though he's sitting I can tell he's tall, possibly as tall as Eric and almost as handsome but that's where the similarities end, he's dark, dark hair, and dark eyes. Although he's white and he's definitely a vampire, he looks as if he still has the ability to tan, strange. "Damon, it's good to see you, what has it been, two centuries?"

"Almost three, to be precise, Italy, we'd just defeated the demon clan that had been trying to steal my ancestral homeland. We spent a few long weeks celebrating our success before you went on your way to your next adventure."

"Ahh yes, and what a magnificent few weeks they were," I'm sure I don't want to know how they spent those weeks, I imagine lots of different women, probably more than one at a time, and maybe even a few guys thrown in just to shake things up. I feel the fairy part of me that has been growing more insistent since I went to the faery make itself known, that part of me is apparently extremely jealous and has no problem fighting whoever wants to take Eric from me. If only I could get that part of me to understand that they're talking about a time a few hundred years before I was even born. Eric squeezes my thigh, probably because he can feel my raging jealousy, "Damon, this is my bonded, Sookie. Sookie, Damon, one of the few beings I can actually call a friend."

My eyebrows raise because I'm surprised. Is Eric actually saying he has a friend? I never thought I'd see the day. I move past it quickly and look at Damon with a bright smile, "Pleasure to meet you, Damon."

His eyebrows raise a little too, "Bonded? Hmm, you must be something special, Sookie. I never thought I'd see the day." He smiles too, and surprises me when he holds his hand out to shake, after a stunned second I do."

I want to get to know this person Eric considers a friend better but I guess that will have to wait until later because Eric adjusts his seating in a way that demands the attention in the room. I don't know how he can do something like that just by adjusting his posture a little bit but he definitely does. "Thank you all for coming tonight, it's been some time since I've seen you all," He looks at Damon and then two more people in the room. "Some longer than others. It means a lot to me that you're all still willing to come when I call for you. I know my progeny, Pamela has given you some information about what I need to be done but not many details. I'm sure you can understand why speaking of such things on unsecured phone lines wasn't safe. Though what we're here speaking of tonight amounts to nothing less than treason, the best witches and warlocks in the state have assured me that this is the safest place to speak freely.

"I've not come to this decision lightly but I've decided it is my only option moving forward to guarantee the safety of me and those under my protection. Though I have a plan, a plan that I am confident will leave us the victors, it is still a danger you are taking on should you decide to stand by me. So if you do not want to risk it, I understand and those who decide to fight for and with me should have their affairs in order should the worst come to pass."

Wow, that was a little morbid. And what the heck is he talking about? I thought we decided we were leaving. Well no, he wanted to talk about it more before we made any decisions but now it sounds like the decisions have been made, they're just not what I was expecting them to be. I really don't know how to feel about that, I don't want him doing this just because I'd rather stay close to my friends and family, it doesn't seem fair at all to him, and it's dangerous.

I get distracted from my thoughts by Pam and Karin moving to stand behind our chair signaling they're with Eric completely, though there was never any doubt. Damon is the first to speak, "You know I'll stand with you, Viking, if not for the fact that I've known and counted on you for over 700 years, then because when we last met it was you who helped me, now it is time to return the favor."

Eric nods at Damon and Thalia is the next to speak, "I will fight for you, I do not trust nor respect our current king, and I think you will do at least a nominally better job." She says this in her serious and blank tone but I see a spark of mirth in her eyes.

Eric chuckles and nods at Thalia. The rest of the local vampires all agree without question as well. They've lived through the last few years, have seen how much bullshit and disaster DeCastro brought to our door and they trust Eric. Some of them have been working for him since he moved to the state, heck, probably some longer than that. They know he is a good fair leader, someone who has a penchant for surviving and will do anything in his power to make sure his people do the same. Plus, over the years I've heard the vampires whisper about the tidings and taxes DeCastro makes them pay, it's been getting higher and higher, it seems he is living above his means even with states like Nevada and Louisiana, two of the most profitable states in the country, at least that's what Eric said.

There are three other vampires in the room that I haven't met before, though they greeted Eric friendly when we entered the bar. Eric is moving his eyes between each of the three of them waiting for an answer. They're all standing next to each other by the wall opposite us, it looks to me as if they've all come together. Before the one that looks like the designated speaker answers his eyes flick to me. "Is this something your pet needs to hear about, Viking?"

Eric growled, "I know you've not lost your hearing in your old age, Samuel, she is no pet, she is my bonded."

"So? I'm bonded to three of my pets right now, it helps keep track of and control them." He looks me in the eyes and I feel the telltale pull of someone trying to glamour me, "Forget I said that, will you, luv?"

"Now you just wait a minute…" I start

Eric's growl becomes louder, interrupting me. I'm beyond ticked myself but I try my damndest to calm myself, and subsequently (word of the day today, wow I didn't think I was going to be able to work that one in) Eric, it works, kind of. "She is no regular bonded, Samuel, she can stay."

He looks at me weighing for a few long moments before deciding I'm inconsequential, "Eric, we've fought many battles with you, I know better than most what an amazing strategist you are, how strong and smart you are in battle. I'd trust you at my back any time, though but I've never gone to battle knowing so little for instance, I don't know why you are waging this battle, I don't know details of your plan, things like timelines and how long I'll have to be away from my home, what enemies we'll have by the time this is all over. Why we're fighting this battle in the first place? Though looking at that delicious morsel on your lap, that's starting to become more clear. You have my sword, Viking, I just need more information."

The vampires around him nod in agreement and even though I don't think I like that Samuel all too much, I breathe a sigh of relief as Eric begins to explain to everyone the situation and what he's been going through over the last year. He doesn't give away too many details, just broad strokes, he's much too proud to admit to anyone the shit his maker, Freyda, and DeCastro put him through. I'm still not happy with Eric making this unilateral decision without me, and you best believe I'm going to have a few words with him about it later but I'm happy we at least have backup for whatever we're about to get ourselves into because, by the look of things, it seems we're going to war.